UAlbany takes lead on sexual assaults

Director says seeking assistance fastest way to healing

Updated 11:15 pm, Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The University at Albany on Tuesday July 30, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

The University at Albany on Tuesday July 30, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Photo: Michael P. Farrell

UAlbany takes lead on sexual assaults

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Albany

University at Albany has an unusual goal these days. It wants the number of students reporting sexual assaults to go up — way up.

Indeed, in the last two years, after opening an advocacy center and hiring a full-time Title IX coordinator to investigate complaints of sexual assault, this number has already doubled.

"Most universities are hoping they have a zero," said Carol Stenger, director of the new Advocacy Center for Sexual Assault. "But how could we have a zero? There are 17,000 students here. We know the national statistics. It's happening everywhere. If we increase that reporting, that means more people are getting assistance. And assistance is the fastest way to healing."

In the last school year, 28 reports of sexual assault were made to university officials. Nine of them were from students who asked the university not to take action. Six resulted in disciplinary proceedings that led to two student expulsions and one persona non grata order against a nonstudent. Six were from third parties (when reached, the alleged victims either denied any violence occurred or declined to speak). Four involved assailants whose identities were unknown. Three were outside the university's jurisdiction.

Faculty, staff and students across the university's three campuses kicked off a new campaign this week called #JustAsk to raise awareness about sexual violence and also about UAlbany's array of services. It comes as the state's new affirmative consent law goes into effect at SUNY's campuses across New York. UAlbany, whose policies helped shape that law, is hoping its latest efforts will solidify its role as a leader statewide when it comes to preventing, responding to and advocating for victims of sexual assault.

The advocacy center, which opened in January 2014 in a hidden-from-plain-view section of Indian Quad, was the first standalone center to serve sexual assault victims on a SUNY campus. In its first full year, it served 70 students who were victims of sexual misconduct, assault, stalking and intimate-partner violence.

The center is different from the usual campus counseling centers, where staff provide counseling services to students with a wide range of issues, Stenger said.

"A psychologist will sit there and listen to your story for 50 minutes and you might just be getting started in 50 minutes, sitting there in tears, but he has another client, so 'There's the tissue I'll see you in two weeks' That is not what a victim needs," Stenger said. "What they need is someone to say, 'Tell me your story and I'm going to listen to you even if it takes you two and a half hours and you repeat yourself six times.'"

Stenger is a motherly figure. She knows the university's procedures for handling sexual assault backward and forward. She was for many years a residence director, and then brought sexual-health programming to the residence halls after earning a human sexuality degree. She keeps hot tea at the ready for everyone who walks into the advocacy center. But she does go out of her way to avoid the motherly word "should" when working with students.

"Everybody in their life is rushing in with a solution," she said. "They tell you you should go to a hospital or you should call the police. But if you've just been victimized you've had all the power and control taken away from you and these very well-meaning people rush in to take what's left of it. Oftentimes they just need someone to listen. They need a release, to get it out. Having somebody really listen to you can be all the healing you need."

That doesn't mean Stenger doesn't help the students who want to go to the hospital or call the police. In fact, after listening to their stories, she makes sure they know their options. And that's where the university's new Title IX coordinator often comes in.

If students choose to report an incident, they can do so within the university (usually to seek a suspension/expulsion) or with local police (to pursue criminal charges). Or they can do both. But either way, they'll probably start with Chantelle Cleary.

Cleary is the first Title IX coordinator to serve in a full-time capacity at a SUNY school. After UAlbany advertised for the position and hired Cleary in January, SUNY Oswego promoted its part-time officer to full time. Both Cleary and Stenger suspect more universities will follow suit as they are asked to do more about the scourge of sexual violence on campus.

Cleary spent nine years as a prosecutor for the Albany County District Attorney's Office. Now, she works on the other side of things — trying to stop sexual violence before it occurs. Her duties include compliance, prevention and education around sexual assault, but her biggest task is investigating reports of assault and completing reports that help the university make a finding of responsibility.

"We know what's happening and we know it's happening at alarming rates," Cleary said. "So we expect and we want our numbers, our reports to go up, because that means students know where to go for support. If they come to us, that means they trust that the university is going to do the right thing."

So far this school year, she's received six reports of sexual assault. Already, she said, UAlbany is on track to see more reports this year than last, a trend she calls "phenomenal."

The university developed its sexual violence prevention and response policy in the fall of 2014 with Stenger's help. Since then, private colleges and universities across New York have adopted it as their own. The policy also includes a Student Bill of Rights that is now posted around campus. In addition, UAlbany has launched a Title IX website with information for both victims and those accused of sexual misconduct.